Comsewogue had the measure of the Connetquot Thunderbirds in a non-league contest at home where the Warriors coasted to a 37-10 victory Feb. 14, their first win of this early season.
Comsewogue senior Kayli Gregory topped the scoring chart for the Warriors with 10 points and 9 rebounds with teammate Jaidyn Donley a junior, netting 6.
In a COVID-19 abbreviated season, Comsewogue at 1-1 will play their remaining 5 games over the next 8 days before post season play begins on Feb. 26.
The Ward Melville Patriots boys basketball team dusted off the cobwebs in their season opener at home where they hosted Central Islip in a League I matchup Feb. 12. Trailing by three to open the second half, the Patriot offense sprang to life led in part by senior Ben Shank and Tommy Ribaudo, a junior, outscoring CI by 12 points giving up six in the fourth to win the game, 63-60.
Shank and Ribaudo topped the scoring chart with 18 points apiece, senior Jason Flynn banked seven, juniors Tommy Engel tacked on six, and Frank Carroll banked five.
Ward Melville head coach Alex Piccirillo said the key to the game was patience.
“We knew that if we could that if we could slow the pace down and take care of the basketball that we would win the game,” Piccirillo said. “We knew that if we could box out one more time (in the final minute), we would win on the rebound. We’d get on the free throw line and ice the game from there.”
Ice the game they did.
With a COVID-19 shortened season, Piccirillo was grateful that his team would see any playing time this season.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank all of our administration at Section XI for allowing us the opportunity to get back on the court, with all of the safety measures in place and allow us to get this done for the kids it’s an amazing opportunity for them,” said the coach.
With the abbreviated season, the Patriots will play their remaining six games in eleven days-time before playoff season begins Feb. 26.
The Miller Place Panthers couldn’t ask for a better start in this COVID shortened season. With a 46-20 win at home against East Hampton Feb. 11, building on their momentum from a victory over Amityville in their season opener earlier in the week.
Seniors Alexa Corbin topped the scoring chart for the Panthers with 18 followed by teammate Jessica Iavarone who banked 10, with Lauren Molinaro a junior netting 8.
At 2-0 Miller Place sits atop the League VI leader board tied with Islip. The Panthers are back in action Feb. 13 on the road against Sayville Feb. 13 before returning home on the Feb. 17 to host Mt. Sinai. Tip off for both games is 10 a.m.
By Bill Landon
The Lady Royals of Port Jefferson opened their 2021 season with their core starting lineup intact from last year’s Long Island Championship run with seniors Hailey Hearney, Brooke Zamek and Evelyn Walker — but that’s not the whole story. Returning sophomore Lola Idir, who was injured last year, made her presence known along with teammate Abigail Rolfe, a junior, to make short work of visiting Shelter Island sinking the Islanders 77-20 in League VIII action Feb. 9.
The Royals led by 25 points after 8 minutes, 34 points by the half as coaches Jesse Rosen and Keith Buehler spelled their starters and flushed their bench the rest of the way.
The Royals are back in action when they hit the road against Greenport/Southold Feb. 11 with a 6:15 p.m. start and again on Feb. 15 at Babylon for a non-league match up at 1:15 p.m.
Hauppauge boys varsity swimming & diving team improved to 5-1 with a 101-79 win over Northport in a League II season finale Feb 5.
Fueling Hauppauge’s victory on Senior Day were seniors Vincent Reino, Michael Schroeder, Sean Napolitano, Michael Seda, Jake DiVilio, Owen St. Pierre, Seamus Buckley, Jalin Belli-McCue and Anthony Sicurelli.
With the win the Eagles are solidly positioned for a top seed in the League finals which begin Feb 13 at a venue yet to be announced. The Section XI Diving championships follow on Feb. 18 also at a site to be determined.
It was another edition of boys indoor winter track that was held outside at Ward Melville High School Jan. 31. It was 29 degrees at the opening gun where the Patriots hosted Walt Whitman falling 61-50 in a League I matchup.
On the bell lap in a distance event a patriot runner was overheard telling his coach after the race that it was so cold, he couldn’t go on the last lap because his “hammys” locked up.
The Patriots are back in action Feb 6 where they’ll travel to Bay Shore before finishing their regular season at home against Commack Feb. 14.
At 3-1, the Centereach/Longwood boys fencing team hosted the 3-2 Commack Cougars (yes, Cougars vs. Cougars) where Commack edged Centereach, 16-11, in League 1 action Jan 30.
Centereach Coach Amanda Catapano was impressed with second-year captain Justin Martinez, a senior and a 6-year varsity fencer, who this season as in past years, is the team leader who is a hard worker and very passionate about the sport. Catapano liked what she saw out on the strip from foilist Nick Galdemis where the coach characterized the senior as the hardest working athletes the program has ever seen.
The loss drops the Centereach/Longwood Cougars to 3-2 with four matches remaining before post season play begins.
Smithtown (2-2) hit the road against Connetquot (2-1) in a League-1 boys swim matchup Jan. 29 falling just short, 92-87.
Smithtown head coach Ray Willie was impressed with John Holler who won the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Holler is currently the best breaststroker in the county. Willie predicts Holler will be county champion, adding that “unfortunately there will be no state championship this year because of COVID-19.” Willie went on to say that first-year varsity diver Yash Merchant, competing in the event for less than a month, fills a much-needed scoring void.
Smithtown has two remaining regular season meets in this shortened winter season, Feb. 2 at Huntington/Harborview/Walt Whitman and hosts Central Islip two days later. First gun for both is 4 p.m.
Girls winter track is usually run in indoors where short sleeves and running shorts are the norm. But in this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s nothing normal so it’s outside this season and on Sunday it was 28 degrees with gusty winds at the opening gun.
Shoreham-Wading River hosted Mount Sinai and after taking to the track holding a lead over the Mustangs because the field events were contested earlier in the week. The Wildcats had the upper-hand on the day and took a 74-44 victory to open their season Jan. 24.
Mt. Sinai (0-2) will look for that first win of the season at home against Islip on Jan. 30 at 11:00 a.m.
The Wildcats are also back in action on the 30th where they’ll host Miller Place.
After being down two bowlers in their last outing, the Smithtown/Kings Park girls bowling team took to the Bowlmor Lanes in Melville at full strength against Half Hollow Hills and swept the Colts, 3-0, in a League 1 matchup Jan. 26.
Smithtown/KP coach Glenn Roper said he saw a complete team effort where his team notched two season highs with a 979 in the second game capped by a 970 in the third. Kings Park senior Kendal Eggert an All-County and County champion led the way with a 249 in her second game for a team high series of 648. Kasey Whelan a sophomore from Smithtown East rolled a 224 in game three for a 614 series as teammate Nicole Trippodi a senior from Smithtown West and also an All-League and County champion, banked a 224 in game one for a 606 series.
The team hits the road Feb. 1 where they’ll take on Central Islip at East Islip Lanes. Game time is 3:30 p.m.
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